The Adventures of Professor Proton, Jr: The Proton Express…
by regertz
Summary: Can Prof Proton Jr. aka mild-mannered Sheldon Cooper and Dr. Amy aka Amy F. Fowler save the world at Christmas…And can Proton Jr. keep that blond sob of an engineering genius Tom Swift, Jr. away from his girl? Equally important…Should Cameragirl Penny allow this thing to appear on her acting credits or accept all hope of a professional career is gone and just peddle her drugs?
1. Chapter 1

"The Adventures of Professor Proton, Jr: The Proton Express…"

Summary: In my first longer Proton Jr tale, can Prof Proton Jr. aka mild-mannered Sheldon Cooper and Dr. Amy aka Amy F. Fowler save the world at Christmas…And can Proton Jr. keep that blond sob of an engineering genius Tom Swift, Jr. away from his girl?

Equally important…Should Cameragirl Penny allow this thing to appear on her acting credits or just accept that all hope of a professional career is gone and just enjoy while peddling her drugs?

Disclaimer: All is Chuck's…

Cue canned music…

Slightly shaky black and white video opens on scene of Sheldon and Amy in white lab coats standing in Sheldon and Leonard's living room…

"Greetings, young scientists-to-be and their assorted dull-witted sibling followers and hangers-on and associated bullies-in-training…And welcome once again to the Adventures…Adventures…Adventures… of Professor Proton…Junior…" Sheldon notes, pointing to whiteboard behind him on which is written… "The Adventures of Professor Proton, Jr."

"I hope you're ready to share in this week's Odyssey…odyssey…odyssey… with me…This one a rather special adventure in multiple parts…"

"Oh…A miniseries adventure, at last!" Dr. Amy in lab coat clapped hands. "I know I've been waiting for this one all year, Prof P, Junior!"

"Indeed…And best of all…" Sheldon began…

"With chills, thrills…And…Romance…All wrapped up as a present to our fans in our Proton Christmas Special." Amy beamed.

"Yes…" Sheldon, frowning…At the notion of Romance, Christmas "specials", and Dr. Amy in lab coat and Santa hat, with bells in hand.

"Are you jingling…?" he glared.

"Yes, Professor P. And what's more, I'll shortly be giving the scientific explanation of how we put the jingle in jingle bells." Amy beamed, jingling again.

"The things one must do to repay one's significant other for nice Christmas cookies made with devoted love and lots of lard based on Meemaw's recipe." Sheldon sighed.

"Exactly her recipe…" Amy corrected.

"It's still blackmail…" he frowned.

"Sheldon! You promised me romance…" Amy hissed, giving pasted smile to camera. "And sex sells! Look at Penny's career…It's the only thing that kept her in acting so long!"

"Hey…Cut…" Penny, staring…

"Yes, indeed…And sold badly too…Least until she combined drugs with sex…"

"Double…Heeeyy!" Penny cried.

"Sheldon! Apologize." Amy insisted.

"Uh…Amy…" Penny, carefully. "You insulted me first, actually…"

"Oh, grow up, bestie…You've been in the business awhile before realizing you had no future in front of the camera." Amy frowned as Sheldon gave arch smile.)

…

Some time later…

(Amy having apologized mightily to a sobbing Penny in her bathroom…The prospect of getting to do a romantic scene or two in a Christmas special with Sheldon in her persona as "Dr. Amy" having overwhelmed her to the point of irrationally striking out at anything or –one potentially interfering.)

"As I was just…" Sheldon, frowning a bit…

Just as in…Some time ago…

"…Saying….This episode is not only devoted to the amazing adventures Physics offers in that Tronspace that is the mind…But includes physical adventure as well…"

And romance…Amy mouthed…

"And more important than the rest…Is devoted to devastatingly humiliating that fraud of science, namely the so-called 'inventor', Tom Swift, Jr. who recently dared insult the memory of our dear Professor Proton, my spirit father…And despite our recent devastatingly humiliating reply to his insulting video farce, yet continues his misadventures on You Tube. So…" Sheldon places large cue card, all in cap s, in expanding lines, Star Wars style, on the whiteboard's frame. "For those who may have missed our last episode…"

"LAST TIME AS YOU RECALL, WE LEFT PROFESSOR PROTON, JR. AND HIS SIDEKICK…"

("Cut! Sheldon? Really?!" Amy fumed. "Sidekick? I'm your sidekick?"

"I can't say premarital fornication partner on a show intended for children under 15…" Sheldon noted.

Uh…Amy gasped… "Sorry, Cameragirl Penny…I need a mo…"

Hmmn…Penny stared…

This actually could boost the ratings…She noted to somewhat nonplussed Screenwriter Leonard.

"Lets keep it going, people." She called, moving to resume filming.)

"…LAST TIME, AS YOU RECALL, WE LEFT PROFESSOR PROTON, JR. AND HIS FRIEND WITH BENEFITS…"

Amy in lab coat, coming over to him, beaming and waving in Santa hat…

("What?!...Cut!" Penny cried.)

Scene one, take Three…

Grim looking Sheldon in lab coat…

"For those who may have missed our last episode, wonderfully sending up that perpetually teenaged fraud, Tom Swift, Jr…." Places large cue card, all in caps, in expanding lines, Star Wars style, on whiteboard frame.

"LAST TIME, AS YOU RECALL, WE LEFT PROFESSOR PROTON, JR. AND HIS LADYFRIEND, DR. AMY…"

Amy, frowing…Still a bit miffed at Cameragirl Penny…

(Come on, these are science-oriented kids, what's the big deal? And sex sells…

Penny sighing from behind the camera…

God, to think this may be all I'm ever remembered for artistically, maybe besides helping my kids with school arts projects and plays.

Well…All I can say is, with Leonard and the boys to back us up, they're gonna be kick ass arts projects and incredibly special effecty plays, smiling to herself.)

"…IN THE LAB…"

"The lab…" Amy gave knowing look to the camera… "And you can guess what was going on in that lab…"

("Amy?" Penny stared.

"For crying out loud…"

"I'd never do that…" Amy, arch look. "On…Camera…" rather wicked grin.

Hmmn…You know it really would boost the ratings…Penny noted to Leonard, who was still trying to absorb Amy's "guess what was going on…".

"Cut…" a frowning Screenwriter Howard called from his seat.

Didn't we agree he would be "Assistant Screenwriter Howard"…? Leonard thought, eyeing the credits card.

"People I agreed to help on this little opus and do a Christmas truce between Swift and Proton…"

"Proton and Swift…" Amy insisted, winning beam from Sheldon…

I'm no fool when Romance is potentially in the air…Nyuck, nyuck, nyuck as those rather cretinous but admittedly representatively 1930's-40's working class stooge people would say.

"Fine…" Howard put up a hand. "But we agreed this would be a joint adventure for Proton and Swift against a common foe."

"With Proton easily besting said foe while Swift tinkers around with toys." Sheldon noted.

"I never agreed to that…" Howard glared. "This is either a partnership or Tom Swift, Jr. walks to do his own Christmas special where he saves Christmas and reveals he's part Jewish while defeating the grinchy Professor Proton, Jr…I call it 'Swift and Hannukah save Christmas…From Professor Proton, Jr.'"

"I told you that title doesn't work…" Assistant Screenwriter Bernadette hissed. "And why am I listed as 'assistant screenwriter' when you're on as 'screenwriter'?" "But see, lambkins, you get the bigger title…It's a good thing, dearest.")

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Yet more time later…

New cue card on the whiteboard…Sheldon grimly setting it to rights, Amy offering steadying…

Ohh…As steadying hands touched briefly…

(To her quietly awed joy, Sheldon blinking at her…Keeping hand on hers a startlingly long two seconds.)

"LAST TIME AS YOU RECALL, WE LEFT PROFESSOR PROTON, JR., AND HIS LADYFRIEND, DR. AMY, IN THE LAB…"

"The lab…" Amy gave knowing look to the camera… "And you can guess what was going on in that lab…"

"Science…" Both she and Sheldon beaming at the camera…

"And maybe just a kiss or two under the mistletoe…" Amy noted, holding up mistletoe. "It being a week before Christmas."

"Yes…" Sheldon frowned. "Well, now we've put the sordid behind us…It was a cool winter day in southern California…When that knock on the lab door came that would change the lives of Professor Proton, Jr., and Dr. Amy…Forever."

"Whoa…" Amy gasped. "Did you just time travel and see our whole Christmas adventure start to finish, Professor P., Jr.?"

"Indeed I did, Dr. Amy…And while the laws of time travelers forever prevent me from stating what will happen in that alternate timeline now that we're in a different potential one by my coming back, I can say it will be full of..." beam to the camera.

"Adventure?" Dr. Amy eyed the Professor. Who shrugged… "Naturally, but…" "Romance…?" she beamed.

"I suppose it must be to bring in the great unwashed masses…But…" significant pause…Hard stare to camera.

"Oh…" Dr. Amy waving arms. "I know!"

"Yes, I think you do, Dr. Amy…Despite your frivolous addiction to sentiment…"

"Science!" both beamed at the camera. As the sound of a knock at the…

("Raj!" Penny called… "Knock harder! Harder!)

…a knock at the lab door began.

And a stern, but dashingly handsome figure in uniform entered.

"Professor Proton, Jr.?" the military figure addressed Sheldon.

"And his ladyfriend, Dr. Amy." Dr. Amy noted, a bit miffed.

"Yes. I am General Rajesh Smith, head of the Pentagon's Space Threats Office…"

"We have a Space Threats Office?" Dr. Amy stared.

"Naturally…" General Smith nodded sagely…His manly bearing and handsome features devastating…

("It was either write that in or he wouldn't do it." Leonard noted to Bernadette. "And he is the only one who fit the uniform.")

"…And once again the Nation has need of…Profession Proton, Jr." General Smith noted.

("Is he the villain…I mean Smiths are usually the villains in sci-fi, right?" Bernadette hissed to Leonard.

Uh… "Well, could be…Or I may have taken a bold approach and had another villain, with the name just to fool the audience." Leonard noted.

Dang…Thought it would be such a neat idea, a subtle tribute to Dr. Smith, he sighed.

"All right, she got it right away…You can have Munson Wickcliff as villain." He frowned to a pleased Howard.

Penny frowning…

Thought the Smith villain thing was a great idea…

On the other hand, Leonard's idea of Stuart as Tom Swift to irk Howard was even more brilliant…Chance of a real generation of sexual tension on the set here…She eyed Sheldon's frown at Stuart's offstage eyeing of Amy.

You lil' minx, you, Dr. A…She eyed Amy.)

"As always I stand ready to take charge of this response to a threat to the Nation…" Professor Proton, Jr., gallantly.

"There is one little thing…" the devastatingly handsome General Smith, a bit cautiously. "I'm afraid we actually already have a guy in charge of the response. Who's been running the project since it began. We were hoping you and Dr. Amy would act more as, sort of…Consultants…"

Professor Proton, Jr. blinking…

"Consultants?" Dr. Amy, eyeing her out-of-lab honey, Professor Proton, Jr.

("That's not in the script." Leonard stared at script. "I put it in…" Penny grinned. "A little boost for my bestie." She beamed at the pleased Amy.)

"Consultants to whom?" she continued…

As if we didn't know, when it came to space threat matters…The fix being in…She hissed to Professor Proton, Jr. who glared.

"I believe you know our project head, Tom Swift, Jr." the General noted, as Tom Swift, Jr., perpetually 18 year old, blonde-haired, blue-eyed engineering genius entered, (to fervent clapping by Howard and Bernadette…)

"Proton." Nod…Glare. "Dr. Amy…" warm smile to her shy nod.

"Screwed up with your 'space friends', Swift?" Proton, Jr. eyed him, coolly macho. As the General gave him a surprised glance, Swift a narrow one.

Dr. Amy, casual look to match her honey's machismo. Though naturally delighted inwardly to see him score manly but scientific points on his virile, yet inferior in beauty and intellect, foe.

(Sheldon, a bit stunned, involuntarily mouthing "I love you" on lips…As Penny gave an arch…Told you…Always gets them…Look to a joyous…Oh, I just done opened my biggest Xmas present…Amy.)

"You know about Mr. Swift's contacts with aliens?" the General eyed Proton.

"Lord, everyone in Science does since that blabbermouth Hawking started putting up nervous tweets all over the place… 'Don't let Swift invite his alien friends to Earth' 'We're all gonna die if Swift's aliens come to Earth'… 'Swift sold us out to aliens!' You should never have spoken to him first, he freaks when it comes to aliens." Frown.

"Gotta agree with you on that…" Swift noted.


	2. Chapter 2

"The Adventures of Professor Proton, Jr: The Proton Express…"

Summary: In my first longer Proton Jr tale, can Prof Proton Jr. aka mild-mannered Sheldon Cooper and Dr. Amy aka Amy F. Fowler save the world at Christmas…And can Proton Jr. keep that blond sob of an engineering genius Tom Swift, Jr. away from his girl?

Equally important…Should Cameragirl Penny allow this thing to appear on her acting credits or just accept that all hope of a professional career is gone and just enjoy while peddling her drugs?

Disclaimer: All is Chuck's…

Part II…

Cue canned music…

Dramatically panoramic color video shots of huge, sprawling lab complex…

"Welcome." The announcer, famed actor Hank Thomas. ("Do you want to get sued?" Howard noted, pausing in his Tom Hanks imitation to eye a frowning…My honey's talents should be acknowledged…Bernadette.) "To the future…" quietly awe-inspiring tone. "Welcome…To Swift Enterprises."

Music swelling…Cuts to various Swift projects around the world as well as a number of revolutionary Swift inventions…

"Whether it's blasting to the Earth's core with his atomic earth blaster…" Thomas' voice intoned as shot of Swift team cheering a gusher of molten iron at the South Pole… "Or probing the mysteries of the ocean floor in his jetmarine…" shot of jet-propelled sub racing along sea floor… "Or building a permanent habitation in high Earth orbit to provide endless solar power while bringing criminal fossil fuel executives bent on his destruction to Justice…" shot of Swift giant Outpost in Space under construction at 22,800 miles while insert shows the evil Kloch brothers being hauled off to jail… "Or descending into caves of nuclear fire in Africa"…Shot of Swift craft descending into radioactive pit…. "You know it's Swift Enterprises that will lead the way…The way into the Future of Humanity."

"Lovely…" Proton, Jr. frowned, eyeing video projection as he, Dr. Amy, the eternally youthful Swift, the devastatingly yet ruggedly handsome General Smith, and assorted scientific experts sat in a conference room in a secret base in an undisclosable location… "But what's a crassly cheap promo for you got to do with space aliens, Swift?"

"We felt it was important to establish that Mr. Swift was considered the man to run this project by dint of his expertise and experience and all-around genius." General Smith noted. "Also the aliens contacted him and his dad first, probably because he's had the private lock on deep space flight the past ten years."

"Oh, anyone could get up there if they've nothing to do constructively with their careers in real science…" Proton, Jr. noted, frowning.

"Well, Professor…Mr. Swift did develop the repelatron anti-gravity drive system, a whole new method of space travel." The General pointed out.

"Eh…Hawking's got a warp drive ship on the books that he could fly in his wheelchair that could leave Swift's Challenger in the dust…If he weren't so scared of aliens and had a few hundred billion to build it." Proton, Jr. pointed out.

"Theory only, Proton…Lets see the practical application, then we can lay bets on speed…" Swift called.

"The fact remains, gentlepeople…" the General insisted… "Swift has the ships and space base…and the aliens contacted him, first."

"Yes, yes…Aliens. " Proton, Jr. frowned. "What aliens exactly? Where are they from…? And if you tell me, Mars…Or Venus…I will laugh you out of this room."

"Actually they were from Mars…Originally…As best we can understand them. But they built a giant ship to see the Galaxy and headed off to do so eons ago, everyone of them before the full ecologic disasters hit Mars."

"And left no trace behind for us to find…?" another scientist…The brilliant astrophysicist and inventor, Munson Wickcliff now rose.

"Indeed…" Proton, Jr. seconded.

Though perhaps a bit miffed at not "firsting", as usual.

"Our friends hadn't developed faster-than-light travel, doctor…" Swift noted. "And they had to leave in a hurry, things went south rather quickly from what they've told us, hoping to help us avoid their fate."

"And they generously decided not to colonize a perfectly suitable Earth?" Wickcliff, clearly a bit of sneer under the composed face.

"This is so ridiculous…" Proton, Jr. hissed to Dr. Amy, seated beside him. "As long as I'm here who needs the small fry of Science?" He glanced about the room.

"Now, now…Dr. P…"Dr. Amy patted his hand. "Every now and then one or two have a good idea."

"They seem to be a moral people." Swift, calmly. "They didn't wish to harm Earth's ecosystem and in fact they found Earth's atmosphere difficult to deal with. So they built their own giant artificial moon and took it into interstellar space while keeping an eye on their cousins on Earth, namely us."

"And now these 'moral people' threaten our existence?" Wickcliff, clear sneer now on face.

"Not by choice…" Swift sighed. "General, if I may?" he rose.

"Well, if it's not Proton, Junior. Heya, youtube princess…Here to fetch and carry for Swift?" Wickcliff had moved to closer seat, no attempt to hide her sneer.

("Might I ask why we have Lesley Winkle playing an astrophysicist…When a real one is at hand" Raj frowns.

"You're busy playing that devastatingly handsome general…And we thought it would be neat to have a female mad scientist villain." Penny noted, high-mindedly.

"And it's kinda neat for the tension, given the relationship between Lesley and Sheldon…" Leonard noted.

"And you can't act a major role worth diddly-squat, we tried for the past two days, get over it, Raj." Bernadette, firmly.)

"Hello, Munson…" Proton, Jr. nodded, "How did you persuade the military to consider you a scientist, let alone 'cutting edge'?"

"Guess I didn't post kiddie videos on You Tube…" Wickcliffe grinned. "Hiya four-eyes…" to Dr. Amy. "Still schlepping for the mad doctor of Saturday morning cartoons here?"

("Sheldon…" Amy began…

Ooops…

"Cut…" Penny sighed. Lesley, grinning.

"Struck a nerve there, eh?"

"Can we try to be a little professional, people?" Stuart sighed…In his Tom Swift, Jr. getup of blonde wig, striped T-shirt, jeans.

"Sure, little professional…Nice lifts by the way, Tom…" Lesley chuckled.

"That's her way of beginning the mating ritual, Stuart." Sheldon called. "You can look forward to coitus by evening…"

"Hafta agree there…" Howard grinned to Bernadette who eyed him coldly. "And you know this by what experience?"

"Blow it, freak jr." Lesley frowned…But cast a winking eye on the rather nonplussed Stuart.)

"Professor Proton, Jr." Dr. Amy began… "Is a symbol for young and old alike of the magic of science."

"So is Flipper…" Wickcliff grinned.

"You wanna eat linoleum?!…Keep ranking on my so!" Amy rose, furious.

All looking at her…

("You're keeping that in?" Raj stared at Penny.

"You kidding? It's terrific...Drama and tension among our protagonists…" Penny nodded.

"And nothing draws em in like a catfight…" she hissed to Leonard.

Uh…Raj eyed Leonard… "Isn't this supposed to be a gathering of top scientists by the government to discuss a global crisis from space?" "You weren't at the one Sheldon and I attended back in…Well, I can't mention the date, top secret…Were you?" Leonard eyed him. "This bad?" Raj stared. "I remember spitballs, drawings of Sheldon on the chalkboard, and someone, probably Kripke, hitting on the lieutenant general leading the conference who threatened to have him shot under martial law.")

"Ladies and gentlemen? If we could return to the purpose of this meeting, the safety of the world?" Swift resumed, after a tense pause between the Wickcliff whose potential Nobel-winning paper's rejection on the basis of reviewer Proton, Jr.'s labeling of it as "silly and the work of a uninspired 3 year old" had crippled her career and left her permanently embittered at the sight of Proton's and Swift's ever-increasing mutual fames.

("Cut…" Lesley frowned. "Seriously? I'm upset because the galoot trashed a sure-to-Nobel-me paper in astrophysics? When he can barely keep it up in Physics? By the way is it dark matter now or playdoh you're working on now that you've conceded that I'm right and string theory is crapola?"

"Now, come on people…This is for Science stuff, right?" Penny called.

"This?" Lesley stared, rolling eyes. "Only reason I'm here is because Tom Swift got me into Science, that Nordic 18 year old cutie." Another look at Stuart, wink… "I mean…I'd lose it to Tommy any ole time…" grin.

"Oh, did we make a brilliant choice in having our villain Lesley…" Penny beamed to Leonard.

"Why are you smiling, Sheldon?" Amy whispered as Howard went to plead with Lesley for peace… If you really want a chance to honor Tom…

"Oh, just remembering Leonard promised to see the villain meet her doom at my hands in graphic detail…" he beamed. "Plus she has the name 'Munson'…That's a stupid name. I can make anonymous comments on our You Tube post about that stupid name…"

"You didn't tell him Wickcliff survived in the original story, did you?" Penny eyed Leonard, both listening.)


	3. Chapter 3

"The Adventures of Professor Proton, Jr: The Proton Express…"

Summary: In my first longer Proton Jr tale, can Prof Proton Jr. aka mild-mannered Sheldon Cooper and Dr. Amy aka Amy F. Fowler save the world at Christmas…And can Proton Jr. keep that blond sob of an engineering genius Tom Swift, Jr. away from his girl?

Equally important…Should Cameragirl Penny allow this thing to appear on her acting credits or just accept that all hope of a professional career is gone and just enjoy while peddling her drugs?

Disclaimer: All is Chuck's…

Part III…

"If I may continue…" Swift eyed his audience, standing by a whiteboard on which a series of mathematical symbols had been drawn.

"If the kiddie-show host here will allow it, I'm all for it…" Wickcliff grinned.

("Leonard…" Amy, darkly… "You wrote that."

He blinked. "Uh…I was only injecting some humor into the relationship…Based on how Lesley and Sheldon interact in real life."

"Oh, he's got me down to a T…This is exactly what I'd say." Lesley grinned.

"What?" Amy eyed Sheldon…

"Well…It's just…Technically speaking, Lesley's right. It is what she'd say." He shrugged.

"Sheldon? I'm defending you."

"Yes…And I appreciate it…" he leaned in… "But we get to see her horribly killed if we just see this production through to its, for her, gruesome ending."

"Really?" Amy pondered. "Just how gruesome?" they both eyed Lesley as she talked to Leonard, Penny frowning at her.

Lady, one more hint that I'm not up to the role of Penny Hofstadter and I'm gonna write myself in as the real Wickcliff who brutally kills her impersonating junior stand-in for bad acting.)

"It's been over a decade since Dad and I first found and translated the symbols left behind by the exo-Martians on their last voyages to Earth…" Swift noted. "Five years since we made contact by radio telescope. While our friends have been travelling the Galaxy for nearly five hundred thousand years since they left Mars orbit."

"And if they're so advanced why do they wanna talk to chimps like us?" Wickcliff eyed Swift.

"Actually, they've not evolved much in the last five million years…We've caught up a bit. Besides, intelligent life is apparently rare in the Galaxy and after all…" Swift smiled. "We're family…"

"Our Martian cousins…" Wickcliff sneered.

"Not all that unexpected that intelligent life should seek to share its ideas, knowledge, and dreams." Proton, Jr. cut in firmly… "It's why we and these creatures are intelligent."

"Some of us, anyway."

"Yeah?! Well…Your name is Munson and that's a stupid name!"

"Right, Prof P…Junior…" Wickcliff, benevolently eager beam.

"Ladies and gentlemen…" the General raised a hand… "The fate of Humanity may be at stake here. And I'm quite willing to throw all or any of you in a brig under martial law and leave you there, forgeting you were ever here if you don't settle down and pay attention! Mr. Swift?" he nodded to Swift as quiet fell.

"Thanks, General." Swift nodded. "People, the Martians…Or Exo-Martians as we presume them to be, have recently contacted us to the effect that they are sending us a great gift, from their explorations and their own collection of the life from the Mars they left."

"What?..." Dr. Amy blinked…All the room silent. Staring…

"Yes. They're sending us samples, folks…Of life from around this galaxy as well as from ancient Mars before the ecological cataclysm." Swift beamed. Then turned somber… "And despite what we believe to be their most benevolent intentions and our efforts, someone has turned this gift into a potential for disaster."

…

Fearing Island…Spaceport of the Swift Enterprises Corporation…The greatest private launch facility on Earth.

"There's my first ship…" Swift pointed to a photo as he paused on the long walkway he and the group with him were following. "The Star Spear…"

"Fancy rocket ship…Barely made orbit…" Proton, Jr. noted to Dr. Amy…

"And The Titan, the world's first manned atomic drive spaceship." Swift proudly noted, indicating out a large window a huge rocket on a launch pad, several times the Star Spear in size. "We still use it for reaching our Outpost at 22,300 miles in geosynchronous orbit."

"Atom-driven rockets…So passé"…Proton, Jr. noted.

"And my latest, the Cosmic Sailor…A solar driven ship, but more than just a solar sail…" Swift beamed at the photo on the wall… "She actually converts solar radiation to a focused thrust."

"A fancy solar sail…Big deal…" Proton, Jr. rolled eyed. Perturbed at the thought of what was to come.

After all, this one was rather impressive.

"And…" Swift halted. "The ship that took me to the Moon… My finest girl…The Challenger…" he paused at a huge window overlooking what seemed to be a giant gyroscope standing nearly five hundred feet high. "Powered by repelatron drive."

"Repelatron drive…" Proton, Jr. sneered to Dr. Amy…

"Gotta go with you on this one, Neutron…" Wickcliff smiled.

"That's Proton and you know it…Proton, Jr., that is…" Proton, Jr. noted.

"Neutron fits you better…No charge to that particle…Eh, Amy…?" Wickcliffe, wickedly mocking grin. "But getting back to our rare moment of singularity…" She turned to face Swift as Dr. Amy glared. "Swift, I know you're supposed to have reached the Moon in this kid's toy. But there's no official confirmation of that and I find it hard to believe you ever got this thing off the ground."

"Mr. Swift's missions to the Moon have been kept secret for national security purposes…" the General eyed Wickcliffe. "He's patriotically kept his light under a bushel, accepting our request after his first flight, to keep the matter a national security top secret. But I can assure you…He has been there and in this remarkable vessel."

"And the theoretical basis for the repelatron? Published nowhere?" Wickcliff eyed the general.

"Likewise…National Security and Mr. Swift's patriotism." The general, quietly.

"Sounds like quite the flag-waving Mother America's boy, doesn't he?" Proton, Jr. frowned aside to Dr. Amy.

"So, assuming this thing can get off the ground, when do we leave?" Wickcliff, shrugging at Proton.

"We don't…Not on the Challenger…" Swift, quietly.

Lights in the corridor cut out… The floor on which the group of twenty-four stood suddenly dropped with increasing speed.

"Please…Do not panic…" the general called for calm. "This is simply a security procedure."

Not the Challenger? Proton, Jr. thought, concealing a sigh.

Rats…Always wanted to catch a ride on Challenger…

Never had Swift in the sort of compromised position where he'd have to let me go…And couldn't refuse later.

"You know I can explain the physics of this fancy elevator ride a lot better than he can…" Proton, Jr. eyed Dr. Amy who stared back.

Hmmn…

The extended revelation of Swift marvels appears to have triggered a latent…Or, who the hell am I kiddin'…Never heretofore seen jealous bone in the body of one Proton, Jr., she thought, rather pleased.

"Here we are folks…" Swift noted as the floor came to a screeching halt. "Where we needed to be…My submarine launch pens."

"Submarine?" Dr. Amy blinked. "But I thought we were going to meet a space cargo…"

Traveling out among the stars in the Challenger, Proton, Jr and I and Mr. Swift.

Rats…

"We sincerely hope anyone listening in to our talks and messages up to just now believes that, too, Doctor." The General noted. "But we know the person we're most concerned with, doesn't." sigh.

"Oh?" Proton, Jr. eyed him. "And how do we know that?"

"Because it's their interference that's prevented us from attempting a retrieval in space where the chances of damage to Earth are limited. Someone stole the codes and the transmission wavelength and contracted our friends, pretending to be me and has been jamming the only successful wavelength for receiving or transmitting." Swift cut in. "Thanks to that someone, Earth is in severe danger."


End file.
